Right off the bat I must tell you that I was skeptical of how much I would like WAR PAINT.  After all it was about 20th Century make up tycoons and their business battles.  Luckily it was better than I expected.  I entered and won a lottery ticket contest and plunged in.  The score, music, presence of Christine Ebersole and Patti Lupone surprised and pleased me.  The story is based on a book looking at the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstien.  The problem is that they never met in their lives so the conflict is not face to face.

Still, the music is fabulous and the the direction is great and the presence of these two great ladies of theater are intoxicating and worth seeing.  Is it great?  No.  But it is certainly worth taking in and I am glad I saw it.

So go and see it, before it closes on November 5 when Patti goes into surgery.  This is the transitory nature of theatre.  See it before it disappears.

As always you can find more on http://www.walterthinnes.com and on Twitter @walterthinnes

TOMORROW: Review of My Swollen Feet